MADISON - Wisconsin would spend more money to support child-welfare programs increasingly burdened by the weight of an opioid crisis if lawmakers pass a series of bills proposed Tuesday.

Legislators serving on an Assembly task force said they have developed solutions to bolster Wisconsin's foster care system and provide support for children, parents and social workers across the state.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos formed the task force in June, citing concerns over rising caseloads. The task force heard from people involved in the foster care system during six public hearings across the state over the course of several months.

One major factor driving up cases is the drug epidemic touching every corner of the state. A USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin investigation found a statewide increase in the number of children being separated from their parents because of drugs. In 2015, about one of every five separations reported to the state was drug-related. That's up from one in eight cases reported in 2011.

Reports from county social workers indicate that at least 7,390 children in Wisconsin were separated from their parents last year — the most since 2007. The role of drugs isn't always clear, as social workers typically note multiple factors, but many believe drug abuse is an under-reported factor.

As a result, counties are grappling with heavy caseloads and a drain on resources. Marathon County in central Wisconsin, for example, expects to spend an additional $438,000 in 2018 to fund growing costs for out-of-home placement — expenses that are largely related to drug cases, county officials say.

The drug crisis presents a unique challenge for the foster care system because for some parents, it's difficult to put their children ahead of their addiction, said Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Schofield, a member of the task force.

The 13 bills introduced Tuesday touch on several aspects of the state's foster care system, and some aim to prevent contact with the system in the first place. One measure would allocate $170,000 more per fiscal year to support court-appointed volunteers who observe a child and his or her family. Another proposal would dedicate $500,000 in federal money to grants for counties, nonprofits and tribes to encourage innovative practices that prevent children from being removed from their homes.

The package also includes bills that would require a task force to look at social workers' caseloads and waive tuition for foster children attending a school within the University of Wisconsin System or Wisconsin Technical College System.

Other proposals aim to relieve the pressure on foster parents, said Kathy Markeland, associate director of the Wisconsin Association of Family & Children's Agencies. One would allow them to access a portion of a child's mental health treatment records. Another would create grants to help retain foster parents, enhance foster parent education and reimburse foster parents for care-related expenses.

"I think there’s a big piece around finding ways to make fostering appealing and workable for this next generation," Markeland said.

The proposed package would cost the state about $4 million, Snyder said. Vos said during a news conference Tuesday that lawmakers aim to get the bills on the floor in January.